Hong Kong’s Paul Chan says Beijing’s 5% annual growth target ‘not easy, but achievable’ and will help to support city’s economy
- Finance chief also says country’s push to open ‘its door wider’ to world will allow Hong Kong to use exhibitions on mainland to promote its own events
- Chan touches on national emphasis to cultivate ‘new quality productive forces’, says policy direction will help create favourable environment for city’s innovation sector
Hong Kong’s finance chief has described Beijing’s annual growth target of about 5 per cent as “not easy, but an achievable goal” that will help to support the development of the city’s own economy.
Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po also wrote in his weekly blog on Sunday that the country’s goal of “opening its door wider” to the world would benefit Hong Kong, as the city could capitalise on international exhibitions in mainland China and promote its own tourism and conference events as package options.
“[The opening up] includes successfully hosting major exhibitions such as the China International Import Expo, China Import and Export Fair, Trade in Services Fair … and accelerating the construction of the international logistics system,” he added.
“All of these will also provide huge opportunities for Hong Kong. This will not only give local enterprises more opportunities to participate in large-scale exhibitions on the mainland, but also allow Hong Kong to launch more connected activities or international conferences locally at that time.”
Chan added that it would help to attract more business travellers to Hong Kong, resulting in a boost for the local retail, catering and transport sectors.
Sharing his thoughts on the “two sessions” meetings, the top political and legislative gatherings held every year in Beijing, Chan said a highlight was Premier Li Qiang’s pledge to set an ambitious growth rate of around 5 per cent this year.
